Closure holder



March 8, 1 960 w. J. COOPER CLOSURE HOLDER Filed June 5, 1958 INVENTOR.40/409114 .1. caa ee This invention relates to a closure'holder forreleasably holding a closure in open position.f

Explanatory of the present invention, there are many field installationsof meters, recorders, and similar-in struments wherein the meter orrecorder is installed in a suitableweatherproof housing that is normallyclosed by a hinged door. At the time. of reading the meter or recorderthe door is unlocked or otherwise released from its closed positionand'is"swu ng into a fully' open position, and while in this positionthe meter or recorder can be read. Thereafter, the door isagain closed.Due

to the factthatthere may be wi nds -or drafts tending to close the doorduring the period that the meter or recorder is being read, it isdesirable to provide mechanism which will automatically releasably lockor hold the door in its open position so that it will not swing closedunder the influence of either winds or gravity during the period thatthe meter or recorder is being read.

The invention is not necessarily restricted to closures for housingscontaining metering or recording instruments but may be used wherever itis desired to automatically and releasably lock a closure in openposition whenever the closure is swung into its open position. Forexample, the invention may be applied to casement windows and similarclosures.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simpleand inexpensive, but nevertheless sturdy brace construction that ispivotally connected to the closure and which has a slidable connectionwith the frame for the closure, and to provide a simple and automaticdetent which .will automatically lock the brace against slidingrelatively to the frame when the closure is swung into its open positionto hold the closure in its open position until it is desired to releasethe closure and cause it to close.

Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a constructionhaving the above-mentioned characteristics which is so designed that ifan abnormally heavy force is applied to the closure urging the closureto close, that the closure can be closed in this manner without manuallyshifting the detent to effect a release of the brace.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be mademanifest in the following detailed description specifically pointed outin the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawingsfor an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a meter or recorder housing illustratingthe door therefor in closed position, parts being broken away and shownin horizontal section;

Fig. 2 is a partial view in perspective illustrating the door in itsopen position; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 33 uponFig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar referencecharacters designate similar parts throughout, indicates generally ahousing adapted to contain a meter, recorder, or similar instrumentwhich Un e tate im o i brace and the framell.

2,927,813 P in M r- 8 19?? -must.be read periodically from timeto time.This housingmay be assumed to provide a frame 11for' a hinged door12.which is normally kept in closed position but which must beperiodically opened for the purpose of inspecting, adjusting or readingthe meter or recorder contained in the housing 10 or for other purposes.

' The device embodying the invention comprises a slotted brace 13 havinga longitudinally extending slot'14 therein. This brace is pivoted 'suchas bya pivot pin, 15 to 'a mounting bracket 16 thatis suitably mountedonthe door 12 such as byscrews 17.

- 2.0m the frame 11 of housing 10 there is a bolt or stud .18 thatextends through the slot 14 in the brace so that the brace is slidablerelatively thereto. Preferably a washer .19.is" interposed between theunderside of the A sheet metal detent 20 is provided which is'aperturedas at 21 so'that the bolt or stud 18 can extend therethrough. Thisdetent has the major portion of its length supported in a slightlyinclined positionby a fulcrum 22 formed by' bending a portion of themetal of the detent downwardly and then upwardly to provide a handle 23by which th'e'detent may be manip- ,ulated. The other end of the detentis bent downwardly as,indicat ed at 24, to engage theextreme end of thebrace :13. ,Adja'cent the fulcrum 22 a tang 25 is struck: out "of themetal of the detent and is bent downwardlysojthat its lower end occupiesa position in the slot 14 to maintain the detent in alignment with thelength of the brace 13 in all positions assumed by the closure 12. Theend 24 that is bent downwardly is preferably bent at less than rightangles to the length of the major portion of the detent 20 so that itdoes not fit exactly flush against the end of the brace 13 for a reasonhereinafter to be explained.

The operation of the above-described construction is substantially asfollows:

When the door or closure 12 is in closed position the bolt or stud 18occupies a position adjacent one end of slot 14 as illustrated inFig. 1. In this position the bottom edge of the downwardly bent end 24slidably rests on top of the brace 13. When the door or closure 12 isswung into its fully open position as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 thebolt or stud 18 slides in the slot 14 to the extreme other end thereof.The brace 13 pivots on the pivot 15 as may be required.

When the bolt reaches the end of slot 14 the'detent end portion 24 dropsby gravity over the end of the brace 13 assuming a position asillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. In this position as the detent 20effectively locks the bolt 18 in fixed relation to the end of the brace13 it will be apparent that the door or closure will be held in its openposition against being closed either by winds or by gravity in the eventthat the door is so hung that it tends to swing closed by gravity. Whenit is desired to release the door or closure and return it to its closedposition it is merely necessary to depress the handle 23 rocking thedetent about its fulcrum 22, and lifting the downwardly bent end portion24 out of engagement with the end of brace 13. While in this positionthe closure 12 may be started in its closing movement and the handle maythereafter be released. On release of the handle 23 the weight of thedetent rocks the detent on the fulcrum 22 until the bottom edge of thedownwardly bent end 24 slidably engages the top of the brace 13. Theclosing movement of the closure can thereafter be continued until theclosure is completely closed. a

As above explained, in the preferred form of construction the end 24 ofthe detent 20 is bent at less than right angles to the length of themajor portion of the detent. While the use of a construction bent atright angles to the portion of the detent is permissible, thisarrangement is preferred so that if a heavy force is ap,

closure so that it may be closed. This arrangement is preferred so thatif an inspector of the meter orrecorder "should attempt to forciblyclose the closure by the application of a heavy force thereto the detentwill permit this to be accomplished without being damaged.

at will be appreciated from the above-described construction that thebrace, its detent, the bolt, and .pi votal mounting are or" very simpleconstructionwhich can be easily and economically manufactured andinstalled, and

will effectively serve to automatically, but nevertheless .releasablyhold a closure in open position when the closure is swung into themaximum open position permitted by the slot 14 in the brace.

Various changes maybemade'in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim: a

1. A brace construction for releasably holding closures in open positioncomprising a slotted brace, a pivotal mounting for the brace adjacentone end thereof, a bolt or stud receivable through the slot in thebrace, a detent havinga portion urged by gravity into engagement withthe end of the brace, and means for maintaining the detentin associationwith the bolt or stud but sljdable 'with'relation to the brace.

2. A brace construction for releasably holding closures in open positioncomprising a slotted brace, a pivotal mounting for one end of the bracefor pivotally mounting the brace on a closure, a stud applicable to theframe for the closure slidably extending through the slot in the brace,and a detent through which the stud' extends having a portionengageablewiththe end of the brace, said detent having a fulcrumintermediate its ends slidably engaging the brace, .and a handle on thedetent on the opposite. side "offthe fulcrum from said portion whichengages the end of the brace.

3. A brace construction for releasably holding closures in open positioncomprising a slotted brace, a pivotal mounting forgone -end,of thebracefor pivotally mounting the brace on a closure, a stud applicable to theframe for the closure extending through the slot in the brace andrelatively to which the brace is slidable,and a detent through whichthelstud extends having a portion engageable with the end of the brace,said detent having a fulcrum intermediate its ends slidably engaging thebrace, and a handle on the detenton the opposite side of the fulcrumfrom said portion which engages the end of the brace, said detent havinga'tang slidably disposed in the slot of the brace.

References Cited in theffil'e of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS90;4730' Hill- Nov. a, 1903 "1,338,571 Kelly t Apr. 27, 1920

